Watertown man held on attempted murder charge

A Watertown man remains in custody after his arrest on second-degree attempted murder and other charges in connection with the stabbing of his live-in girlfriend Sunday night.

Jarvis G. Parson, 53, of 111 Meadow Ave., is accused of stabbing Stephanie S. Campbell, 39, several times Sunday night and chasing her near the intersection of Meadow Avenue and South Meadow Street.

Officers were called to the scene about 11:15 p.m. for an incident involving a man chasing a woman with a knife, police said. They caught Mr. Parson a couple of blocks away without incident.

He also was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first-degree aggravated criminal contempt, both felonies. On Sept. 13, Watertown City Court issued an order of protection against him after he admitted in court that he intentionally injured Ms. Campbell.

On Monday morning, Mr. Parson was arraigned before Watertown City Judge Eugene R. Renzi, who sent him to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building without bail. Mr. Parson pleaded not guilty.

Jefferson County Assistant District Attorney George R. Shaffer contended Mr. Parson should be kept in jail because he had two previous convictions. He was convicted of driving while intoxicated in 1995, and he served 10 years in state prison after he was convicted of first-degree manslaughter.

During Mondays brief appearance, Mr. Parson looked out into the courtroom at family members. A woman wept as he left the courthouse.

The only time he spoke was when Assistant Public Defender Tricia L. Dingman asked him a question and he answered, OK.

Ms. Campbell suffered stab wounds to her torso. She was treated at the scene, then taken by ambulance to the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds, where she was flown by a LifeNet helicopter to Upstate Medical University, Syracuse. She was in stable condition Monday.

The incident began in the couples home, but she ran outside, Detective Sgt. Joseph R. Donoghue said.

Police were called to the scene after 911 received two phone calls about a domestic dispute.

Police do not know what the couple, who have children together, were arguing about, he said.

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